Job Hunting at work – Good Idea? I think not
The always funny and insightful Laurie Ruettimann AKA Punk Rock HR and I are having a slight disagreement regarding internet use at work. Laurie was blogging about Signs You Need to Start Your Job Search. Basically Laurie is saying never stop looking. I couldn’t agree more – network, grow or die. However she ended her post with “This is the sign you’ve been waiting for, yo. Start your job search today. Look for a job from the comfort of your warm cubicle with free, company-sponsored high-speed internet and your cushy Aeron® chair.” Here is where I disagree. My response “Agreed except for the part of doing it from your cubicle/office over company internet. While you have those things sure, but not on or with company property. Never know who in IT or otherwise is watching.”
This of course lead to Laurie’s latest blog post Using The Internets on Company Time in it she asks HR professionals and Managerial types if you have or would fire an employee for browsing Monster.com at work. For me it is simple, your company most likely has a policy against it, you are most likely an employee at will and Job Hunters are not a protected class. Don’t do it at work.
What do you all think, post here or there.
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I’ve never worked for a company with a no-personal-internet-use policy. We always had ’smart personal use’ policies. Man, I feel lucky about that because I was *always* on the internet — in fact, I started blogging while employed.
Most places I have worked have a smart use policy, including my current company. Of course as long as they are being consistent, the company gets to determine what is “smart”
Hello Corey,
Just following the discussion between here and Punk Rock. Laurie is always starting controversies, ya know?
My 2 cent post here and there:
I have fired someone for duplicating studio movies on company video equipment and selling the bootleg copies to employees. (VHS and DVD were available)
I have fired someone for running a check pool poker gane that resulted in a $30,000 payout. (I didn’t win the pool)
I have fired someone for beating the living shit out of a co-worker.
I have fired someone for testing positive for cocaine on a random test after placing them on a last chance agreement for testing positive for Marijuana. (I knew it was a gateway drug)
I have never fired anyone for using the internet, although I have counseled several people for checking out porn. (male and female. porn doesn’t discriminate)
See this link in PC World http://www.pcworld.com/article/125597/should_you_be_fired_for_using_the_internet_while_at_work.html
for a 2006 legal decision on this topic
[...] she often does, Laurie Ruettimann of Punk Rock HR started a minor fracas with Corey J. Feldman at their respective web sites regarding internet utilization policies at work [...]
I think it’s bad manners to use your company’s internet to search for jobs.
I have fired someone for duplicating studio movies on company video equipment and selling the bootleg copies to employees.
I think job searching should be done away from your current job. The last time I tried it, it ended badly.
CareerVizion is a free website to post jobs and resumes. It’s launching in mid April.
We are trying to help all we can find a job, for free.
Pete
Need a job, post your resume free!
http://www.careervizion.com